The American Forces Radio and Television service touched a lot of people. Whether talent, support or listeners it touched a lot of us in ways that stateside media could only dream of. This website is unofficial and does not imply any endorsement from AFRTS, the Department of Defense or the United States government.
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Thom Whetston

From 1972-97 I was a radio announcer, mostly in the Northeast. I had the most fun with Armed Forces Radio first in Korea then in Panama. A lot of the time it was spontaneous or improvised and that made for a great learning laboratory. The network DJs, Charlie Tuna, Wolfman, Kris Erik Stevens, Jim Pewter, LaRita Shelby and the rest were so consistent, it was and amazing thing to hear. Then to Massachusetts and WEIM, WKNE, WKBK, WFGL, WMDK, WKBR, WCGY, WSRS, WGAW. Most of them don't exist as anything that resembles a radio station. I'm always ready to trade war stories... Thom Whetston afrts@live.com 612-356-AFRS (612)356-2377

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Thom,
I’m Tom Moore ex-CFNer. Enjoyed your blog and work re: CFN (as I knew it in 1954-55) I was at the radio station (no TV yet) for about a year. I was a part of the bunch you list: Maj. Morrissey, Gary Hannes, Jim Anderson, Dick Heymeyer, Al Lohman Jr., Ski from Chicago, Timmy Coombs, and some other guys of the day. Want to read my story?

I was an Airman 2nd class (read NO class) sent to Albrook AFB in 1954. I had been a crash-rescue fireman at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas… I volunteered one day to go to Panama, CZ , to fight crash fires, and just to get out of the hell hole that was SAFB. At this point my good luck and the intelligence of the military system will dictate the story.

I arrived in the paradise that was the Canal Zone. Remember? I had been stationed in Wichita Falls Texas at the time, hardly a paradise by any stretch of imagination... scorching heat and freezing cold. My word, how wonderful those stately Royal Palm trees looked with the bright green plastic looking upper trunks lording over the main street of Albrook Air Force Base. Especially after a 12 hour prop plane ride from Montgomery, Alabama, my debarkation point in the states.

I reported in for duty at Albrook. The 1st Sgt. at receiving and transit told me there must have been a mistake to transfer me to Albrook AFB.

"Oh, really?" I said, “Well here I am Sarge, ready or not!”

His response was ( he was a tropical laid back Dude), “But we don’t need any firefighters or Flight Rescuemen. We don’t have aircraft or any flights here .”

I reminded him that I had just arrived on a flight. His answer, “But that was not our aircraft, we don’t have any aircraft. And besides it didn’t crash… did it?”

I was getting worried about my whereabouts and sanity at this point. “Not our aircraft? But the plane said United States of America on the side in black paint.” I wondered aloud, “What if it HAD crashed on landing. Would there have been no one with my untried skills but loads of knowledge willing to save the victims? Like me.”

The 1st Sgt. replied, “That would been against regulations, son. Air Force pilots are ordered to not crash the aircraft we let them fly.”

I liked this guy. He thought he owned and was the boss of all the aircraft. The 1st Sgt. directed me to the transit barracks and told me to report each morning to check on a possible assignment, and arranged a first-class pass, told me where I could catch a bus (Chiva) to Panama City after a 5 day quarantine, "if I wanted to go down to that hell hole,” he said. And he told me where to get a “partial payment”. ($$ now we’re cookin’) So I wandered around Albrook AFB $40 in my pocket and saw the base bowling alley. Met some guys sitting around smoking and drinking beer waiting out their quarantines. So I did too.

After two weeks of reporting in and getting no assignment for work, except duty, policing up fallen leaves. Most mornings I had only one fallen plam leaf to pick up. I was beginning to really love the military, bowling, palm leaves, and beer. After leaf duty I explored the crown jewel of the Republic, Panama City. Every day for a couple of weeks I bowled for 5 cents a game and drank beer 20 cents a bottle on base (legal for 18 year olds). Boy, so far, I loved Panama. I loved the Air Force. I loved transit status at a sort of Air Force Base, especially this one with no planes to crash and no people to save from fire.

But after too short a time the assignment Sgt. smiled when I arrived one morning for my morning check-in. “Okay, Airman Moore, I’ve got it sorted out. Your 201-file reads that you once worked as a radio announcer (very young and very part-time when I was at boarding school). There is an AFRS radio station here in the Canal Zone, just up the road at an Army Post, Fort Clayton. You want to go over there and see if they need an announcer?”

I was out of partial payment money, tired of bowling and riding the bus down to Panama City in the Republic and walking Central Avenue’s more naughty side streets. “Yes First Sgt. I will go over to see if the Army wants to give me a job.” I was 19 years old at the time and not much of an announcer… The program director at CFN (Maj. John P. Morrisey) gave me an audition and seemed a little dubious as to my not-very deep voice, but perked up when I said I would be happy to help around the station… re-type the news stories they recorded from other sources (one news announcer was ‘Air Force Airman Bob MacDonald’) and outlets for their own announcers to re-read, put recordings back in the library..etc Besides, I told him, no body else wants me down here. I related my insane binge with bowling and thoughts about defecting to the San Blas Indian Air Force.

The Major was sympathetic... “OK Moore, you can come on staff as a News Writer and a standby announcer.” The classification Sgt. at Albrook was very happy. I was very happy. Then I went to CFN, the Caribbean Forces Network at Ft. Clayton. Moved into the three story barrack/studio/office. Stayed there until I went home for discharge.

That is my military history, and my contribution to the military might of the USA in a nut shell. I must have been of some help… we had no crashes at Albrook or Fort Clayton and no one in the Caribbean declared war on us while I was in uniform.

I was discharged in 1956, a few months before my regular time as an early-out compassionate discharge. My father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and I needed to return home to enter the family business. Since I had a non-essential job classification, and the Air Force was trying to give early discharges at the time to save peace time dollars. I returned to the USA to enter the newspaper business. My wife's family owned two small weekly news papers in Forrest City, Arkansas. I returned to help with the family business. After a year I returned to the broadcast field with jobs at various radio and television stations in the south and southeast. I eventually began work for TelePrompter Corp. in New York. TelePrompter had contracts with the Army Guided Missile Command and NASA at Redstone Arnsnel. I worked as a Producer-Writer-Director for 5 years. During this time I heard from Gary Hannes (from the ol’ CFN days). Gary was a TV producer in Mexico City and contacted me and offered a job as Director of the Mexican version of the TV show “To Tell The Truth”. I was thrilled for the offer, but it was a bad time to make such a big international move. But, Gary and I did keep in touch for a time. That was nice.

I was offered a job to work in East Africa as a commercial director for Radio Tanzania. This job I took, and moved to Dar es Saalam, Tanzania where Beverly and I had our third child. It was a great experience but when we were offered another contract, we decided that the International life was too much and we returned home (USA) to Texas and TV work. Thru these years I was a TV announcer and a film producer living in Dallas and visiting Hollywood. I eventually made several theatrical films as Producer and/or Director. Actually that rounded out my career as a Director. I guess I am retired now (you get a clue when the pay checks stop rolling in ;). We still live in Dallas. Two of the kids also live here and a third in Huston. That’s about it Thom… That’s all for Uncle Jim/Tom and Tinker!

If you get in touch with Gary Hannes, as you gather all this information, tell him to WRITE ME!!!!! Jeez, that Mexico country living in Juan-a-what-toe must be the bees knee’s. (At least it's slower than Dallas!)
Hope all this rambling has helped. Let me please have a copy of all you gather or publish as a report/bathroom-book/important paper… or what ever.

Roland Bynum had a long run with us. Talent is talent and he's still slamming out the hits in Los Angeles for many years to come. In 1973 he was doing the show for us and doing a show for Air Force Recruiting, for Roger Carroll's company. Good stuff, great music. The Roland Bynum Show.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

We are running out of money to run our operation. It’s very hard to keep a charity going in the current economy, with most people struggling from paycheck to paycheck. Now, Cease Fire House is in danger of closing its doors forever. I need your help!

I’m Chris Noel. In Hollywood, I did films with Elvis and Steve McQueen. In Vietnam, I performed live, and my radio show was broadcast to our troops, both in Vietnam and worldwide.

Then, in 1993, I founded Vetsville Cease Fire House, a non-profit charity based in Florida that is dedicated to providing food, shelter and care for indigent military veterans.

Vets make great employees. They’re dependable team players who work with pride, but finding full-time employment is often extremely difficult. And that's where Vetsville Cease Fire House comes in. Among the great organizations sponsoring us are the Nam Knights MC, a group of police officers and Vietnam veterans.

We’re also sponsored by groups like Rolling Thunder, Paul Revere and the Raiders, “Good Morning Vietnam’s” Adrian Cronauer, and various community organizations. We also hold popular yearly fund-raisers such as Veterans Day celebrations and Rock ‘n’ Roll Sunday!

Our mission is to provide homeless American military veterans --regardless of race, creed, color, sex or age -- with food, shelter, and a secure environment as we aid them in returning to society. That’s our goal -- and Vetsville Cease Fire House is making it happen ... with the help of your generous contribution!

It was a discussion we had many times ""There's no one good in Milwaukee, Miami, Dallas or anywhere else?" In 1983 the network bid out contracts with talent from all over the country. Joe Ferguson from Portland OR was with us for a while. On this show, Joe talks about being a dependent and in the radio club at AFN.

Richard Amaral was at AFN Frankfurt in 1960-62. He wrote "AFN-On the Scene--Santa Claus Interview". (produced either Dec '60 or '61) Interviewer played by the Late and Great Sp/4 Marshall Pengra. Santa played by Airman Chuck Lindsay. (Have lost contact with Chuck since I left AFN in '62) It's a spoof that caused some consternation and was banned from air. But on a late night comedy show, "The Cave" I believe I slipped parrts of it into the two hour mix.

Roger Carroll is back with memories of 1973. Thank you Arie for saving these. These were the Public Service shows we'd hear on stateside radio, usually Sunday morning telling us about our opportunities in the Air Force. Roger's company did these with Gene Price, Roland Bynum, Robert W. Morgan and several others. The disk is still a bit noisy, but I remember...

Monday, December 12, 2016

I was assigned to the Fort Ord Army Hospital's Bedside Network immediately after 8 week basic training in Nov 1953 with PFC Marshall Garrett and PFC Ben DaMotto. The closed circuit system provided captured radio entertainment as well as one channel of AFRTS recordings with some programing of our own invention...such as in-the-field interviews with celebrities and pro golfers at the Bing Crosby Invitational at Pebble Beach, CA in Feb 1954. We used the first portable tape recorders I'd ever seen...the Ampex 15 inch reel unit...weighing about 30 lbs.

We got a ton of stuff including Bob Hope, Phil Harris, Gen Omar Bradley, etc., etc. I understand it was stored at AFRTS, Hollywood, CA. In July 1954 I was sent to South Korea and assigned to AFKN HQ at station KILROY in Taegu, Korea. In addition to doing the midnight to 2am trick, I was also the Producer-Director of network programs for the 10 station operation. A few months later HQs was shifted to VAGABOND on the hill in the

8th Army compound, Seoul and I was assigned network Program Director by Lt Col Stewart who told me when I suggested we look into adding TV facilities to AFKN...."Look, Private...the only thing I know about radio or TV is where to turn it on and where to turn it off....and I want to get full bird by the time I leave here do you understand?" Actually I was Specialist, as I recall. Some of my broadcast buddies were Earl Clayton, Dan Chamberlin, Alan Hirschfield, Edson Foster, Frank Fagan, Jerry Terhune, Rice Paddy Ranger Army Sgt Dick Curless, John Orloff and a bunch of others. I met Roger Carroll somewhere in there but can't recall where. He got a job at KMPC...I went to KPOL and then to KTLA in '57 but decided on a career as an actor/director and have had a wonderful career working all over the world rather than behind a mike and turntables.

LTC Tennant was the well respected commander of AFKN in 1968-69. Tony Booth believes he may have returned to the network in the 1970s.

He was born in Dallas, Texas to Frank Tennant Sr. and Marion Tennant on October 28, 1930, at the beginning of the great depression. He graduated from the University of Texas in Austin in 1951 with a BFA in radio and television production. Immediately upon graduation he enlisted in the army to avoid the Korean War draft. This allowed him to enter OCS and serve in the Signal Corps where he worked his way up to the rank Lt. Colonel. During his 20 years of service, he saw tours in Korea twice, France once, and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. twice. He earned a MFA in telecommunications from the University of Southern California in 1965 while he was in the service. Retiring from the service in 1971, he entered the private sector in Washington D.C. where he received a commendation for service from the President of the United Stated in 1979.

After retiring from the army, Frank worked in the private sector in Washington DC. After a second retirement, he moved Pensacola, FL where he lived until his death.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Something very cool that our network did in the early 1980s was do a series of shows from personalities all over the country. Joe Ferguson from Portland OR radio donated his set of shows. Suddenly it's 1983...

Monday, December 5, 2016

There was always Christmas. It was a time of year that AFRTS really brought home to the world. In 1982 Frank Bresee did a special two hour Golden Days of Radio in front of an audience. He brings the holidays home.

There was one state that did a real outreach and was a perfect match for AFRTS. Hawaii tourism and businesses funded "Hawaii Calls" from the 1930s until well into the 1970s. Much of that time it was heard on AFRTS. Let's put the winter away for a while and listen to Hawaii Calls.